H A P P Y B I R T H S T O N E T O Y O U !
J A N U A R Y ~ G A R N E T
Years Ago ...
Learned men and women believed in the power of gemstones to ward off evil and protect or heal the wearer during difficult trials in life.
In more modern times, specific stones have been designated to each month of the year, giving those who are born under that month a common gemstone with which to identify, a birthstone.
In 1912, the National Association of Jewelers finalized a guide for which stones belonged to which months. This list can be seen in the graphic above, and has only gone through a few changes in the 100 years since.
January, the first month of the year, has been assigned GARNET for its birthstone.
Background ~
The word "garnet" comes from the word "granatum," coming from Latin for seed. This is in reference to the stone's resemblance to a pomegranate seed!
Garnets can be found in streams where water has worn away rock, leaving the gems are exposed. But before they are polished, garnets look like small pebbles. Being either colorless or one of many shades of red, black, and green (the rarest), I can certainly see why the red stones were named after the seeds of a pomegranate.
(On a side note, if you are as much a fan of pomegranates as I am, check out my blog post on the fruit here: LINK)
The use of garnet in jewelry dates back to 3100 B.C. when the stones were used in Egypt. Today the stones also serve industrial purposes, as abrasives as well as for water filtration.
Symbolism/Historical Importance ~
Garnet is widely accepted to represent loyalty and eternal friendship.
Long ago, people believed that garnets offered protection from many fearful occurrences, such as poisons, wounds to one's bodies, and even scary dreams or dangers during travel.
My Two Cents ~
I happen to love garnet! I have always admired rubies, as deep red is one of my favorite fashion colors, and I believe garnets are just as beautiful. Plus, who doesn't love its quiet humility? ;)
Perhaps one of my dearest reasons for appreciating this specific stone is because it is mentioned in the engagement scene of one of my favorite romance novels, A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas:
"
'Hannah,' he whispered, spreading feverish kisses across her skin, "I've never wanted anyone this much before. You're so beautiful in every way ... and everything I find out about you makes me love you more ...' He lifted his head and gave it a rough shake as if to recall himself to where he was. A self-mocking grin came to his lips. 'My God. We'd better make this a short betrothal. Here, give me your hand - no, the other.' He searched one of the coat pockets and unearthed a shining circlet. It was a garnet set in silver. 'This is why I went to the village today,' he said, slipping the ring onto her fourth finger. 'I'll buy you a diamond in London, but we had to start out with something.'
'It's perfect,' Hannah said, looking down at it with shining eyes. 'A garnet means enduring love. Did you know that?'
He shook his head, staring at her as if she were a miracle ...
"
If you are a fan of historical romance and you have not tried out Lisa Kleypas's books (A Wallflower Christmas is the fifth out of five books in her Wallflower series), I highly recommend them! Expect to see them reviewed in detail in upcoming "Romance Me Wednesdays" on this blog!
And finally, I give you a list of some of my favorite people who just happen to be born in January:
- Paul Revere, Jan 1st, 1735
- Elvis Presley, Jan 8th, 1935
- Martin Luther King, Jr., Jan 15, 1929
- Edgar Allan Poe, Jan 19, 1809
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jan 30, 1882
Do keep tuned to this blog for more posts to come and let me know what you think about this or your own birthstone in the comments below or via email at fourscorerebecca@gmail.com!
Until next time,
Rebecca
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